Mike Kwan: Celebrating with Gratefulness

by Ben Lim

As Michael Kwan leaves the EU Grads Fund Staff Team after more than twenty years, please join us in celebrating and giving thanks for God’s work in and through him.

With a heart for God’s glory and bold faith to discern opportunities, Michael enlarged the EU’s vision at key moments. From 1995 to 1998, Michael partnered with the fledgling Australian-Chinese Evangelical student bible study (now ACES, one of the largest faculties in the EU). There he served and won the trust of its leaders and wisely helped them and the EU president Murray Smith to consider and enact its incorporation into the EU.

As the ACES faculty Leader in 1999-2000, I remember Mike mentioning opportunities that waves of future that International students could bring to ‘take over the world’ for Christ. In 2006, with a hefty proposal in hand, Michael persuaded the EU to start ISM (International Student Ministry, now known as euFOCUS), to embrace these gracious, God-given opportunities. As a result, dozens of students now follow and serve Jesus all over God’s world. As well, generations of local EUers have had their hearts enlarged for God’s global kingdom.

Michael also developed insightful training courses to help reshape pathways and models for leadership, bringing vital clarity to the growing and increasingly complex EU. But perhaps his most enduring legacy was his formative influence on generations of students and staff.

“Michael modelled what it meant to be intentional about ministry, to serve with humility, and to prayerfully reach out to the lost.” (Marty Feltham, student in the late 90s-2000s, Howie 2005-06)

“Michael’s steady, humble, Bible-driven and Christ-focused service to those around him was the best example and template for Christian ministry anyone could hope for!” (Dan Wu, ACES leader 1995-98)

“Michael had a pivotal role in shaping me as a young Christian… His humble leadership, patient training and wise counsel in the Word grounded me for a lifetime of following Jesus. No other person has equipped me to train others in the gospel as Michael did.” (Leonie Mok, ACES faculty leader 1999)

“Michael’s twenty years of sitting opposite students in  the Wentworth building, drawing diagrams upside down to explain the lordship of Jesus, folding Public Meetings outlines while listening to students’ hearts, praying through the names of every EU Economics and ACES student – I’m confident that all of these self-effacing, self-disciplined hours and years will be used by God to yield a huge Kingdom harvest. Meanwhile, we thank God for connecting us to you, Michael.” (Christian Anderson, Economics faculty leader 1999-2000; Howie 2005-06)

Back to Supporter Updates